Galapagos. No predators my ass. (see previous Blog).

Online there's loads of stuff about how visiting yachts need to comply with all the rules of this unique ecosystem. World ARC have had years of experience bringing in boats and back in Panama they went through all the rules and organised cleaning services.

Before departing for Galapagos boats need to be fumigated and bottoms scrubbed back to pristine anti fouling. Particularly, absolutely no barnacles. You need three different bins for recyclable, non recyclable and organic waste. Waste oil capturing systems, black water tanks and signs around the boat saying "Don't throw rubbish overboard" in two languages, one we don't speak!!!

We were therefore pretty well prepared, or at least aware of what was required. We had also spent a few hours watching David Attenburgh's documentary on the islands so we knew what wildlife to expect to see.

So, back in Shelter Bay Marina in Panama two guys with fumigation tanks on heir backs walked around the boat squirting some liquid into various corners, the heads and down the bilges. They also sprayed the top of the Liferaft. Not sure what that was about but the whole process was a bit of a joke. We know where we've had bugs and we could have told them they were squirting in the wrong corners but it was all a bit silly. Apparently you can buy a certificate for $20 in Panama!

Following this, through the canal and out in Las Perlas, the last stop before Galapagos I hauled out my dive kit and took to the water with scraper and scrubbing brush. It was a bit murky but 45 minutes later I'd cleaned off the few weeks of slime and a few barnacles since our last haul out in Jamaica.

For various reasons we then spent a few more days in Las Perlas than expected. It was therefor maybe ten days since my cleaning efforts and a few days out from Galapagos when we heard on the Net that one of the boats had been turned away by the barnacle police.

We'd heard of this before and as well as the inconvenience of being sent 40 miles offshore to clean it costs another few hundred dollars. So, face mask and fins out, swim ladder down, 70 or 80 miles out in 3000 metres and flat calm I went back in the water. Now, part of Attenburgh's movie showed film of literally clouds of hammerhead sharks swimming around so, to say I was nervous would be a bit of an understatement but it had to be done.

Scrub, scrub, scrub. Up and down and around the boat I went. Occasionally I'd take a look into the depths to see if there was anything lurking there. Don't make splashes or wear bright jewellery were in my head. No problem with the latter as my €7 Decathlon watch wasn't going to attract much but with all the scrubbing it was a splash fest. Hey Hammerheads!!!!! Idjit in the water. A bit skinny but yummy yummy.

One side done I turned around the bow realising I was now on the wrong side. The side without the swim ladder. Still, no sign of anything so scrub, scrub, scrub.

Up above Anne is holding a line that I'm tensioning off (climbing term from when I was a boy, or just an Idjit?). Poor Anne is getting yelled at cause I'm a bit nervous but then, she gets her own back. Quite calmly she says, "Stuart. Get out the water". What?

She repeats. This time with sufficient emphasis for all my Hammerhead imaginings to blast through to the front of my consciousness. I was off. Sod the splashing worries. Fins flapping furiously like the Waverley in full reverse I got down the hull, round the transom and up that ladder, hand over hand like Spider-Man on steroids. On deck Anne is gawping saying "look, look, look".

Fins ripped off I ran over to the side to see an enormous Whale Shark and its accompanying minder fish chomping on the weed and stuff I'd been scrubbing at 7 seconds earlier. Now, I've grown up around Basking sharks. We've even hit one so I know big sharks and I can tell you, this was big. It was flipping giant. Flippin' amazing actually. All big mouth and spots and a stunning bluefish colour. Just like the DVD in fact.

That was the end of my mid ocean cleaning exploits for the night. Maybe for life!